Psyche
August 16 – 18, 2024
THIRD SHIFT is a contemporary art festival presented by Third Space, a not-for-profit artist-run centre in Saint John, New Brunswick, that includes temporary installations, interventions, performances, projections, and events.
Created as a platform for new experiences and communal exchange, THIRD SHIFT aims to offer Saint John citizens and visitors to the city a unique opportunity to engage with contemporary art and re-imagine urban space.
Each year, Third Space commits to welcoming an Indigenous Artist in Residence to be the “headliner” of the festival. Through discussions with the THIRD SHIFT Team and the artist, a theme is established to help guide the creative process of others during the Call for Proposals, in relation to the A.i.R.’s own body of work. Into its 4th year, THIRD SHIFT has taken on past themes such as: Traverse, Peripheries, Reclamation, and now Psyche.
Ready to Travel
Here is my project description for the Psyche:
“I plan to create a garland of solar powered lights with lampshades resembling various stages of a butterfly emerging from its chrysalis. During the day we will see the intricate shapes of felt, while at night the light will shine through the small openings, creating a fairy-tale atmosphere.
These cocoon — shaped pieces will be made of wool felt, a durable natural material that is water and fire resistant. My experience with the artwork I made for Beneath the Surface project in the Fundy National Park showed that in 5 months outdoors felted pieces didn’t get destroyed or damaged in any way, besides little discoloration from the mosses.
I want to bring more attention and light (in a literal meaning) to the natural phenomenon of Monarch butterflies migrating from New Brunswick all the way to Mexico and back — unbelievable journey for such fragile creatures. These butterflies lay eggs only on the milkweed plants, so we need to protect native plants for butterflies have the place to return. If the chrysalis was damaged, the butterfly will be unable to develop the wings and die, so its is important to pay attention to your garden, and even relocate chrysalis from dangerous spots.
People are similar to butterflies in this way. If people experienced trauma at a certain point of their lives, their soul can be damaged, too. We need to support each other so we can fly higher and I want to encourage people to be gentle with each other and help our peers develop their wings for the safe journey.”
The day of the festival.
I was very excited to be at the King’s square and meet other artists. The weather was perfect – warm and sunny, so I didn’t worry about getting wet. My only worry was the solar elements on my garland – if they will work in the dark. And they did! I was so happy to see people stopping near my garland and taking pictures. As I talked to them about butterflies, about supporting each other, they started telling me their stories. They showed me pictures of their butterfly gardens, of their art projects and it was very touching.
My favorite visitor was a guy walking his dog around 11 pm. He stopped at the bench and asked me: “What is happening here?” I said: “It is an art festival. Would you like to see the shining butterfly cocoons?” He was impressed as he had no idea what was happening on his usual evening walk.
